NextStop Blog

Flashback Friday

Were you able to guess today’s location and year? You are looking at two westbound buses as they pass by the Ben Franklin Motor Hotel in August 1967.

The ‘motel’ is actually the Lennox (built in 1929) at 823 Washington Ave. after owners re-branded as the Ben Franklin Motor Hotel with the addition of a parking garage in 1965. As you can see the mirrored photo below, the hotel still stands with the convention center down the block.

This is after 1963 when Bi-State took over transit in St. Louis as the buses are blue, not red. Probably Washington Ave and my guess is westbound because that would be the direction a Muny bus would run in the daylight. Cross street is 11th, or 9th, since it is one way northbound. Not familiar with the buildings to really pinpoint location.